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Akali, the laning phase - couple questions.

I recently decided to try out Akali, and well, I was warned by a fellow Akali player that she was especially vulnerable during the early phase of the game.

Thing is, I didn't know that she was not just vulnerable, but VERY vulnerable. I don't want to place the blame on my laning partners, as it was my stupidity on not knowing how to use her in the laning phase.

I started off with a +20 to Ability Power item to trigger one of her passives, and a health potion. For summoner skills, I ended up nabbing flash, and exhaust. Yes, I know my choice of skills is horrible, but I wasn't quite sure what to pick.

After a couple games, I was dismayed to realize that my Akali would get her ass literally kicked out of the lane. I couldn't harass at all. More than often, me and my laning partner would be thrust back to our own turret, and then I would make a mistake, resulting in my death, and the enemy being fed.

I'm pretty new to League of Legends myself, and I know there must be something I'm missing here...and I would be grateful if anyone could help me out here.

What are some tips to survive the laning phase using a carry-type champion such as Akali?

What items should I start my Akali off with?

Is there a way to harass opponents without always having to run for my life as I only inflict a measly chunk of damage, and watch my HP bar dip down to half? (I harass by using Q, then running back, which never really does any good)

How should I level up her skills? I've been checking out guides, most of them say start off with the Q-skill. But from then on, guides disagree completely, and I'm not sure which build is better for survivability.

Again, I would be thankful if I could get some help here. I don't want to feed the enemy any more. :P

When i use Akali, i start of with a dorans blade, which activates my passive, giving me spellvamp. I use Q to last hit minions, when i want to harass opponents, i use W, walk forward and then cast Q. If possible, i hit them once to activate the 2nd part of my Q skill and then cast E. After that i just walk back through my shroud

At or after level 6, if you can press buttons fast enough, you can jump/ult to him, cast all your spells on him and then walk back in your shroud. This deals quite a lot of damage and wont put you in that much danger because you will be invisible when running back.

To farm, last shot minions with your Q skill. When their minions get to your turret, use your shroud to try and chase them away. this stops them from last shotting some of your minions to get gold. Your turret might get a bit of damage, but unless you and your lane partner die or have to recall, it wont die early game.

Another thing you can use the shroud for is to check bushes (put part of your shroud in the bush), use it near a wall and flash over it (some stupider enemies wont know that you flashed and might wait for your shroud to go away), to slow enemies when chasing (before you get rylais).

When running away, you can wait in your shroud until the enemy's minions walk past you, then ult to them. Just be careful of oracle elixers and wards.

This is a website where you can find guides: http://www.mobafire.com/
and for the akali guide: http://www.mobafire.com/league-of-legends/build/akali-ready-and-willing-44394

This guide worked for me, except that i get my boots after the revolver.

Okay, so I play Akali quite a bit, and here's a few things that I've picked up from playing her.

First, if you're serious about playing her, then you should build her a rune page - She's most effective during laning if you can activate both of her passives at level 1. A simple way to do this is listed in Westrice's guide, here:http://www.solomid.net/guides.php?g=8

Now, for a starting item, if you managed to activate both passives, then go with boots and three health pots. The boots give you the extra speed you need to proc your Q as well as a bit more survivability, and the health pots keep you in lane when you take damage. Depending on the lane, if you can zone the others with a lane partner, or by yourself, then last hit normally, but otherwise it's best to last hit with your Q.

As for skill order, priority should be R-Q-E-W, where the initial skill order is Q-W-E. I believe this is the best as follows: R and Q are obvious, they are your largest damage dealers and will be the most helpful. Shroud is essential for Akali, so you grab it at 2. However, after one rank, you really don't need any points in shroud, as the best part of it is the invisibility, and leveling E will do you more good. E allows you to get in extra damage (although not recommended in a long chase, as it will use up your energy too quickly) as well as farm.

As for laning before Q, it takes a bit of psyching out your opponent and hoping they don't understand your Q too well. Try marking them as often as possible with Q, and then dropping a shroud somewhere near them (extending your safe space). Sit in shroud just to see if they get somewhere close, and if they do, proc your Q and punish them. Played right, they won't have time to react and will just take a ton of damage while not damaging you at all (remember, you have invisibility for about a second after you exit your shroud.)

Once you reach 6, you become so much more powerful it's not even funny. Your range really increases, and most opponents forget how large the range is (as they were just playing against you with only your Q range.) A great tactic is to mark them with q, and then run back, as if you're too cautious to get closer. If you notice, the mark stays for 6 seconds, but as you level your Q, your CD is shorter than that. As soon as your Q comes off CD, dash to them, auto attack for the proc, Q again, and auto attack for the proc, and finish off with E and additional R charges. This is a huge amount of damage, again.

If you're having trouble surviving, though, just make liberal use of your shroud to allow you to last hit while being zoned, and keep baaaack until level 6.

I also play Akali a lot, and the number one thing I can recommend for her is getting a rune page specific for her. You can do the rune page several ways but the best way I've come across is +physical dmg reds, +armor yellows, and +ability power blues and quints (or HP quints).

By starting with these runes, you get both passives at start and can either go with more dmg or speed (boots). If you get an amplifying tome first, you will have over 40 ap which can be very annoying for melee in your lane. Same goes with speed. Ignite and exhaust ensures first kill usually with a good partner in lane.

Ability priority is R->Q>E>W with shroud at lvl 2 or 4 depending on who you are laning against. If you are against a Morde or Rumble, go with shroud at lvl 2, if it's Yi or Shaco go with Crescent blade. Later on in the game you wanna wait in the wings for a weak point in lanes so you can assassinate the silly fools or dare push.

Build usually goes something like Boots1->amplifying tome healing thingie of gunblade, boots 2, lichbane, finish gunblade, (will have to put in a giant's belt early if you are having trouble)

Exhaust and flash are actually a perfectly reasonable choices for her summoners. Exhaust compliments the fact that you're focusing down one target and need them to be slowed. It's a great early CC until you grab your vital rylais, which is often after you finish boots and sheen. Flash is just good on any champ, and Akali can use it for some silly juking with brushes, shroud, and walls. Other solid choices are ghost and ignite.

Amp tome is a decent starting item as well; you'll just need to play a little more conservatively without the extra 2 pots boots allows.

A great trick is the double mark that many people use. Toss a Q and optionally drop a shroud. Wait for an opening on your opponent, preferably close to the CD of your Q again (somewhat difficult at level 1 Q since it has the same CD as the duration) and then proc the mark with an auto attack, Q again, and immediately mark. Insane early game burst damage that can really scare some people.

IMO, her passive isn't worth very much at level 1. I won't go out of my way and get a Doran's Blade for it. I especially won't get flat AD or AP runes to get it at level 1.

Of the two passives, players prioritize the spell vamp early game for sustainability. But 10% spell vamp is barely anything when you only do 100 or so damage. So you're still going to get harassed to bits and can't do much about it.
Get a Doran's Shield instead for sustainability.

IMO, her passive isn't worth very much at level 1. I won't go out of my way and get a Doran's Blade for it. I especially won't get flat AD or AP runes to get it at level 1.

Of the two passives, players prioritize the spell vamp early game for sustainability. But 10% spell vamp is barely anything when you only do 100 or so damage. So you're still going to get harassed to bits and can't do much about it.
Get a Doran's Shield instead for sustainability.

Akali's AP passive is questionable, but 10% Spell Vamp is huge for laning. Top Akali players like Westrice grab it for a reason.

I have to agree on Montegomery (it's a long name you have there) opinion. Having both passives up and if you're laning correctly in a solo or duo lane. It can sustain you for a long time. For me personally, I don't have both of my passive active through a rune page. But I do have one of them active while grabbing a tome and pot to help me sustain myself in lane. That alone allows me to stay in lane for a long time as long I'm not doing something stupid.

Assume the rune page is filled with either attack damage and ability power. That's plenty of staying power for the initial laning phase till you're level six. You won't be reliant on your items so much to help you keep yourself alive during that period as well.